Don't Stop Believing
by SunFlowerViolinist
Summary: The past is the past...right? Or is that just until it repeats itself. What will Puck do as his childhood love is suddenly back, right when Quinn chooses Finn to play house with? "Rachel is everything" "She gave me a chance." Is there something to be said about a first love? "We have a past, a story like none other, but you know as well as I do that came with a lot of pain." Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**Rachel wasn't in the first couple of episodes of glee in this story. That character is being replaced with Taylor Rose. There is a way different back story for this. I hope some of you out there will like it.**

The call was desperate. It was painful. He regretted calling her the second he hung up the phone, but no one else would be able to understand this. Well…no one would be able to give him a slap in the face reality check that he needed. He thought she would call him back and they would just talk until they cried. So, he thrown off when he saw her sitting in the stands. He looked over at number 20 and knew that he saw her too. Hell, he saw a little tear in the other boy's eyes when she held up a sign that read: Make Me Proud! If things went differently she might have been on this field with them. But, life … life likes to put some damn good people in the stands.

* * *

The thrill of a good game. The cheer of the crowd. She had all but forgotten her love for this. She can't take her eyes off of him. "Put your head in the game Puckerman!" She yelled as she watch the ball slip into the other teams hands again. They hadn't seen each other in a while. She probably threw him just by showing up here. But, when their mutual friend called in tears… she knew it was time to pay a visit home. "Finnboo you're playing like a girl!" She yelled out as she tried not cry. They were always supposed to be on that field together. But, plans change. She would never be able to play the game that she loved again. Hell, if it was up to Noah she wouldn't even be able to risk playing a backyard game of touch football. He is so damn protective and worried all the time. "You're mothers can play better than you!" She yelled.

"You know Finn?" The person sitting next to her asked. She just looked at the older man sitting next to her and then at the woman sitting next to him who was cleaning the bleachers with a toothbrush earlier.

"Yeah, we go way back." She said simply as she watched Finn call yet another time out. With just seconds on the clock.

* * *

"We have to do it." Finn said as he looked at Puck.

"We will be jokes for the rest of our lives." Puck replied.

"Ray would do it in a second. Just think if our one win could be for her." Finn said as he looked up at the stands. He felt low, playing that card, but Puck would do anything for her.

"Alright captain. Let's do it." He said as he looked up at her.

* * *

She couldn't help, but smile when the music started blaring over the speakers. Sure they looked silly out there dancing, but it was a damn good plan. She would give them hell for it later, but she just sang along with the music. "Up in the club, we just broke up/I'm doing my own little thing/ Decided to dip but you wanna trip/ Cuz another brother noticed me/ I'm up on him, you're up on me/ don't pay him any attention/ cried my tears, three good years/ Ya can't be mad at me/ Cuz if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it/ If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it/ Don't be mad once you see that he want it/ If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it."

"RUN! RUN! RUN! YES!" She screamed.

* * *

He couldn't help it. His stomach sank when he looked over at Quinn and Finn. That was until he heard her yelling at him. She was running his way and then Quinn and Finn didn't matter. No one mattered when she was around. "That was awesome." She said as she ran into him like a tornado. She never changed…after everything … she was so damn happy. He couldn't help, but hold on to her for a moment.

"It was all for you Rainbow." He whispered into her dark hair. She just laughed as she looked up at him. It felt like they were thirteen again. Love nothing else. That was until she pulled away.

"Don't go all sappy on me now, Cowboy." She just smiled up at him. "Cuz if you liked it you should have put a ring on it." She laughed as she imitated the dance moves that the team used during the game.

"You're just jealous of my mean dance skills." He said as he watched her act like a fool.

"Oh you know it baby." She replied as she laughed at him. He thought she was going to hug him, but he realized too late that she was going down.

"You okay?" He asked as he sat down next to where she had landed.

"I am not as breakable as you think I am." She said as she placed her head on his shoulder. He knew that she was right, but the chances … even a small risk was too much. "So, I guess this is where the elephant comes out of the closest again." She said as she used his shoulder to stand up.

"Eh, we make a better duo when we don't talk." He said as he pulled her gently into his lap.

"Hey, we are like cheese, and according to the Cheese It commercials cheese talks now." She replied as she smiled at him. "Then there is that laughing cheese, but I can't even get a smile out of you." She said as she tried to raise his lips into smile.

"PUCKERMAN TEAM MEETING IN THE LOCKER ROOM!" Someone yelled over to him. He looked up to see his coach standing there.

"I wait for you in the parking lot." She whispered as she got off of him.

* * *

"So, who is she?" Damn, that blonde bitch is a freaking ninja or something. He just looked at her for a moment.

"Shouldn't you be with Finn?" He asked after a moment of silence. He could see the way her face turned at his words and in a way he wanted her to suffer just as much as he was.

"She's not even pretty. I mean did you see those man hands, so I don't get it. Why do you look at her like she is the sun?" Her words were bitter and out of jealously. No one loved her as much as he loved Ray and she is not used to not being the most loved.

"She gave me a chance and is the only one to ever do that." He coldly replied. "It might be easier for you to understand it this way, she isn't you." He snapped at her before walking towards the parking lot. And it felt as if the world had been lifted off his shoulders when he saw her leaning up against that beat up old truck of hers. He tries to memorize just how she looks. Her long brown hair blowing in the wind, the way that leather jacket of his still fits her, how her eyes light up at the sight of him, the way she smirks at him, even the way her delicate fingers hold the damn cigarette. What can he say everyone has there bad habits? His was slutty cheerleaders and hers was smoking. He would give his left arm to get to stop, but he was about to break her all over again … so let her have her cigarettes and hell she might just take the arm this time too. "Let's get the hell out of here, Rachel." He said as he pulled her towards him.

"Well, who could turn that down." She said with a laugh as she took his hand. "But remember I drive." She said simply with a smile. He saw Quinn in the corner of his eye and damn it was going to be one long night.

**A/N: This is a little preface. Let me know what you think. Should I continue? **

**~ Sunflower ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

The parking out outside of the IGA. All the places in this damn place and they ended up here. Again. She almost wanted to laugh, but hell this was their life story. Their first date took place there. Not that stealing beef jerky and then pushing each other around in the carts in the parking lot should count as a date, but too them it does. The things you do when you twelve and thirteen aren't supposed to define your life, but for them it did. Did she regret ever going to this damn IGA in the first place? She looked over at him fiddling with the radio she had forgotten she had under the seat. She looked at how they still fix perfectly in the bed of this old truck. No, she didn't regret it. She couldn't allow herself to regret it. "You know that we could just turn on the normal radio, or hell if you're worried about the gas fumes I have one on my phone now." She said as smiled over at him.

"It's not a classic, now is it?" He asked with a laugh trigging her memory to a time when this old truck rested in his mother garage. A time when she thought that those old records his mother kept was the best thing in the world. The time when they were still just young.

_No one was home. They didn't have to hide out in the garage behind all the boxes in the dusty old truck that his father left behind. They had made a fort out of it. Pillows and blanket everywhere. The record player that had been long forgotten by the family was stacked on top of rubber mate tubs so that they didn't have to move to change the record. She put the record on knowing that he didn't like it. Knowing that he was going to say "This song is so damn cheesy no man would ever say this crap." _

_"That's why women love him." She replies as she climbs to sit on his lap. "He puts emotion to something that men don't. He thinks about her." She said as she circled her arm around his neck. "Bom, bom, bom and as I taste your tender kisses, I can tell you've never been this far before." She hummed into his ear as she left a gentle trail of kisses along his neck. _

"Tonight, will only make me love you more." She whispered to herself as she tried not to think much more about it. He was her first, her only, they had a past, and a story, but damn it still hurt to think about.

"You know I meant that when I told you that." He said as he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her.

"I know." She said weakly. "You know Finn called me last night. He wanted me to be the first to know about his girl. It felt like a call for help, but then again it felt he was asking my permission to be happy about it. He has always been there, he is just that good of a friend. So, I just need be happy for them. I bet it will be fun to be cool Aunt Rachel." She said as she looked up at the stars. The pause told her that he knew. The pause told her it was hurting him too. "I guess your right we make a better duo when we do not talk." She mumbled as she placed her head on his chest.

"Ray there is something I need to tell you." She knew those weren't good words, especially when she saw the tears forming in his eyes.

* * *

"I didn't know that Puck had a girlfriend." She said coldly as she looked over at her boyfriend on the way home from the football game. She knew she didn't have the right to feel hurt about it. Hell, look what she had went and got herself into. She was lying to the only person in the world who might actually give a damn about her. But, she wanted … no needed to know what the deal was with the mystery girl from the game. She was all over him, like he belonged to her. And yeah it hurt her just a little more than she would like to admit.

"He doesn't." Finn replied as he smiled over at her.

"Sorry I just assumed. They sure looked awful close." She said as she looked back out the window.

"Ray and him are close. She is his ex and don't go getting stuff started with everyone. He is probably pissed enough that I called her." He replied. She was more than lost. This creature shows up in her territory and both Puck and Finn are what long lost friends with her.

"So what is she more your type? You plan on running out on us for her?" She asked as she looked at him and almost immediately she knew something was up because he pulled over to the side of the road. "Unbelievable." She said as she looked at him.

"Quinn it's not like that." He said as he took her hand. "I called Ray after you told me about the baby because I needed someone to talk to and she is the only person I know who would understand and be willing to talk."

"I don't understand. You have me to talk to, why do you need to call her?" She asked bitterly. "How do you even know her?"

"We all went to football camp together Ray, Puck, and I for two years together. We formed a friendship and then they went and fell in love. They went to Carmel for freshman year. Puck's mom used her sisters address on the forms so he could be in the better football program." She couldn't tell if he was lying he looked as if he was trying to get to a point, but then again she was the one that taught him if you're going to lie it's all in the details. Everything he said so far seemed like stupid little details.

"So she is a football player?" She asked simply.

"She was … a kicker. She only got to play in two games though." He answered as he looked at her.

"What does this have to do with us?" By this point she just wanted this silly little conversation to stop.

"Because she quit football because Puck got her pregnant." He spat at her. Suddenly she felt the need to just sit down somewhere and cry. Sure she knew she wasn't his first. But, she wanted to believe maybe just a little that it meant something to him to. And here she is finding out that this isn't even his first child.

"So, where is this child no one has ever heard about?" Her anger was starting to take over.

"Memorial Gardens." That face he gave her earlier. All the pain she saw in him was making sense now. She felt like such a trouble person. "They were going to make it work. Ray all but dropped out she was working two jobs and Puck was doing lawns. Then when she was eight months a long … she was walking to Puck's house … she was living with them then. It was late and the roads over there and the street lights aren't the best. It looked clear when she went to cross the street... We almost lost them both. He had been in the ground two or three weeks when she finally woke up. He tried to fight it out, but he was so little and weak."

"Why did they break up?" She asked as she found herself clutching her nonexistent bump. She couldn't do it, she couldn't lose her child that way.

"They didn't at first. At first they were closer than ever. But, he wanted to try again and she was trying to focus on healing herself. It took her over a year to be able to walk on her own again. Finally, she told him that this was his chance. She was letting him go and be the teenager he wasn't getting to be. She went to a school down in Dayton that helps with traumatic injuries. It's been phone calls and visits every once in a while since then." He just placed his hand over hers. "I promise you it won't be like that for us. I promise I won't let it get so missed up. I am here, I will always be here." If someone can let go after all of that, how bad of a person does it make her that she is willingly stealing away the youth of the wrong boy.

* * *

She should have known. Finn kept blubbering on the phone that he didn't even sleep with her. She just thought that he was being dramatic or that they were drunk. But, she always did consider herself a smart person. And if you asked anyone that knew them they would swear she could read his mind. "Quinn's baby isn't Finn's." His words were flat. She wanted to cry and run. Then in the next second she wanted to run him over with a car. Then she just wanted to hug him and be there for him because she knew what he was going to say next. "It's mine." She did her best to freeze her emotions. She had learned during their time apart that being frozen is better sometimes. You don't have to think. You don't have to process. You can just simply be there. "Say something Ray." She lets another minute go by. "I know I messed up this time." Five more minutes. "Come on Rainbow, we can get through this." He said as he reached out the touch her.

"I just need to go for a walk. I just need … time … to think." She said almost robotically as she climbed out of the truck. She looked ahead of her for a moment. They say you can only move forward, no more looking back. So, she walks.

"Rachel!" She hears him yell out for her, but she just focuses on the path in front of her. She doesn't know what else to do. "Damnit Rachel!"

**A/N: Tell me what you think. **


	3. Chapter 3

Dazed. That is probably the best way to describe the way she felt as she walked around that town again. She couldn't let herself go home. That situation could only go one of two ways: her dads smuttier her with love to make her 'feel' better or they go on and on about how they knew that Puckerman boy was going to hurt her. It's funny to think that they thought Puck was the best thing in the world when they first met him. She tried to tell herself that she didn't need to think about Puck. That it wasn't even worth it anymore. But, three streets down she finds herself crying because of him, because of this, because no matter how much it is hurting her … all she can think about is how much it is hurting him.

Never once did she try to claim that he was perfect. In truth, they were both equally as fucked up. She just empresses her pain in a different medium than he does. She about killed him when she left. Or at least that is what Finn and his mother tell her. He went crazy. He blamed himself for every little thing that happened in their relationship. He swore off love. Connections like that only hurt you. That is when he developed this whole fuck and dump policy of his. Being in Dayton she could pretend like that wasn't what he was doing. She could tell herself that he took her advance in being a real teen and was playing on the football team, maybe stealing beers from the IGA, toilet papering the principal's house. That is what she wanted for him. Not this. Never ever would she want him to go and get into this mess. It was bad enough that he got another girl pregnant, but Finn's girl. Why the hell did he have to go and mess with Finn's girl? Finn had their backs through everything. Hell, Finn was there with Noah in his hardest moment. He got to hold her son, when she didn't even get the chance. He helped hold them together when everything was falling. And this is how he repays him for that?

By the time she was six streets away from the market. From where she had left him... she realizes just where she had ended up. The corner of Sliver Oak and Hamilton would be a place that would forever haunt her. She told herself that she would never go down either of those streets again because she didn't want to see it. She didn't want to see the mark left on Mr. Robertson's tree from that truck or the little blue cross that Old lady Mills keeps in her yard right at the spot that she found her body laying at on the other side of the road. Just looking around her whole body starts to hurt. She thinks for a moment about standing in the middle of the road. It was dark enough. She could just wait for another car and this could all end right where it really truly began. All the pain that she has been ignoring … that she has been trying to live with, she could finally let that go. She could finally be with Davey. She always told herself that after she was gone she would get to spend her own forever with him. She could rock him every day for the rest of time without a care in the world. Everyone else could move on without her.

Every time before she would stop herself right there because she knew that was a lie. She knew that Noah wouldn't be able to move on without her. She always told herself that no matter how much she hurt … she had to keep fighting because Noah needed her here. He was going to lose it without her. But, that doesn't matter much now does it. He made all his choices. He didn't need her as much as she thought. She thought that one day they could work out all their problems. With time they could go back to being so in love. She never stopped loving him. That is the main reason she told herself that going to Dayton was the right thing. She was only holding him back. She just wanted him to live because she knew that she wasn't ready too. She gave him a second chance at being a kid and what did he do? He went and messed it all up again.

The sound of her cell phone pulls her out of her pity party. At least for a moment that is, until she sees the picture staring back up at her from her caller ID. The sight of his brown eyes staring up at makes her regret when she presses reject call. Screw, this whole cheese thing. He was like ice cream. One bite and your crawling back for more. But, not this time. No way she has too much will power for that. She looks around for a moment unsure of where she should go. There only ever were three places that she felt welcomed in this town and there was one that she knew he didn't have the balls to go to right now.

So, she walked two more streets, a left turn, and there resting like always as the fourth house on the right side was her hideout. She almost felt silly knocking on the door. After all the times she just let herself in with the spare key or went through the bedroom window. But, it had been a long time. She felt almost awkward asking if she could come in when the middle aged woman opened the door. At the same time she was comforted by the site of one of the two women that really did step up and became mother figures to her. Going through the things she went through … even if her fathers had tried to understand what she was going through, if they wouldn't have kicked her out, if they tried to talk to her, help her through the pain … they never would have been able to understand. No, she really did need her mother, but she didn't have own. So, she more or less borrowed one. "Rachel, you will always be welcome here." She replied a she led her into the house.

"Thank you Mrs. Hudson." She said softly trying her best not to think about all the good times they had here. Trying not to think about the fact that her best friend was going to walk through that door anytime and she wasn't even sure she could look him in the eye right now. All she thought about was how much she needed a place to go and a mother that would listen to her. And she sure as hell could not go to the Puckerman household right now.


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't hard to get in here. Not that he was completely sure why he choose to come to here. He hated everything that the glee club stood for, but then he loved it at the same time. It reminded of her. It wasn't this stage, but he still remembered how they felt like rock stars when they won the eighth grade talent show. The way she drug him to karaoke and open mic nights. She was going to make it big someday. Her fathers raised her to be a star. She hated it when he called her that. That's when she became his Rainbow, because she could stand out in the sunshine.

Sitting here with the stage lights shining on him, a beat up guitar, and a six pack he swiped from the IGA he could see their whole lives play out in front of him. Not that they had much, but it was enough to hold onto. Not that he would be able to ever let go of her. But, then again he knew that from the beginning.

_He heard some of the guys in the locker room betting on how long she could last. A girl couldn't possibly play football. It must have been a joke. What was her father on of the coaches? "First one to scare her away should get a prize." One of the other guys laughed. He could only picture her as one of those mammoths that would join the boys wrestling teams. She probably had a nick name like bone crusher or something. Oh boy was he wrong. He felt his mouth hit the ground when he saw her standing on the field. _

"_Hey Princess the pom-pom squad is in the gym. I wouldn't want you to break a nail out here." He felt like an idiot when he said it, but what can he say he wanted to look badass. _

"_Just stay out of my way, Cowboy. It would be so sad to see you crying in front of your little boys club. If it gets to rough out for you boy scouts there is always craft time in the park at noon." She just smirked at him. It was love from first sight from that moment on. _

Cowboy. He would never know what would make her call him that or why it stuck, but he did know that he was sure glad that she didn't call him douchebag that day. Lord knows it would of fit better, but if that had stuck. If she didn't see something in him that day too, then he never would have known what I felt like to love. Then again he wouldn't know what it felt like to hurt this bad either. He can't even think about a life without her. He just numbs himself with another drink and another. If only these damn things could turn back the hands of time. If only he could take them back to that first summer. He would make those good moments last, fix some of those mistakes. If only he could have her with him just for a little longer.

"You know this is not what I meant when I told you to show up more often. I thought maybe you could go to a math class for the first time in over a year, not break into the auditorium." The words from Mr. Schuester brought him out of his trance.

"Don't tell Rachel about this." He muttered as he finished off another can. Not even realizing that the older man had no clue what the hell he was talking about.

* * *

When you walk across that stage and your professor hands you your hard earned teaching degree they sure as hell don't prepare you for this. They don't teach you how to help those students that need more than a teacher. More and more the students of McKinney made that apparent. Within in one week he had a student come to him about a teenage pregnancy and now he had a drunk student breaking into the auditorium. "Is there something you want to talk about Noah?" He asked as he sat down next to the young guy because he didn't know what else to do. Figgins had tried to get ahold of his mother, but she was working a double at the hospital according his little sister. The same sister he was supposed to be watching. That is why he was here. They had no one else they could call. No one else seemed to care about this one, no wonder he was slipping through the cracks.

"Nope. That's why I am here. I have nothing to talk about because she doesn't want to listen anymore. I finally ran her out of town for good." The boy mumbled along as the teacher found himself sitting next to him. "I ruined the best star out there. I made a mess of my life and brought her down with me once again."

"So, this is all because of a girl? A bad break up. You know high school romances don't last. Not that I really pegged you for someone who was looking for a serious relationship. There will be other girls." He said as he tried to reassure the young boy that everything was going to be alright, even though it was clear that he was missing many of the pieces. Hell, this was Noah Puckerman last week he was bragging about how many chicks he can bag in one week.

"You know I lied to you before. I didn't learn to play to pick up chicks. She taught me how to play. She taught me how to live and now she is gone and I am broke. I don't know what to do. She is the one I go to when I need someone and this time I can't go to her. She don't want one damn thing to do with me. And I can't blame her. I mean it was bad enough that I slept with her, but god how could I be so damn stupid?" The tears were becoming more and more apparent with each word. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

_"You're fathers don't know you're in town do they? That's why you're here." Carole Hudson had a way of understanding things. Even the unsaid things. "You must of came back to see Puck." It was true. She knew that. She had let herself miss him so much. She just was using Finn's news to cover up the fact. _

_"What am I supposed to tell them? Hey Dads you know that asshole who you blame for everything bad that happened … I miss him like crazy and I want to see him. Not that it matters they were right about him anyways … he is no good. Sleeping around with Cheerios. What stupid person came up with that term anyway? What is so different from a normal cheerleader and the damn Cheerios." She was complaining and huffing. The truth was she was jealous of that damn Cheerio. So jealous. But, she couldn't get into that with Carole. She couldn't let this whole damn mess come out. _

_"You found out about that Santana girl. I figured it would be about time for Finny to open his mouth about it." Carole said softly as she put her hand over Rachel's. "I personally don't think that she is much competition for you. Then again I watched you take on two hundred pound running backs." She was trying not to cry even harder because there was another one. Another damn Cheerio. "Look Rach I am going to be honest with you. This is coming from a mothers perspective, but also from someone who knows what it is like tow give your whole heart away at a young age. I can tell how much you still love him and hell no one can ignore the fact that he has been calling out for help from the pain of losing you. I think you two need another chance. I think you need to work it out, when you both are living in the same town. I know that you don't want to be around your fathers. You feel betrayed and abandoned by them and I get that. But, if you really love him I think you need to come back to Lima. Hell, you could stay here with me and Finny if you wanted to. We have plenty of room for you." It was heartfelt … the offer. But, she didn't think she could handle being back here. She was still trying to find a way that she could just get her truck and head back to Dayton. She belonged there not here. "You could join the Glee club with Finn. I know it's not football, but Finn really loves it and the guidance counselor says there are a lot of schools who give music scholarships. You could be two teenagers in love. Just kids getting to enjoy the best years of their lives." That sounded nice. But, she didn't let herself get attached to the ideal because it would have been nice. That was before the love of her life went and knocked up a Cheerio. She just needed to get back to Dayton, back to where she belonged. _

She walked from one end of the town to the other thinking about Mrs. Hudson's offer. She talked herself into staying, then back into leaving, and this went on for most of the morning. She was too scared to even face Finn that she snuck out before either of them were up. She was about ready to give up. She could just catch a greyhound and he could keep that stupid piece of junk truck. That was until she saw the truck sitting in the high school parking lot. It would have been all over and she could have been on her way, but the idiot locked it. She wanted to rip him to shreds, but that was before she heard him talking to someone in the auditorium.

"Puck you need to realize that it hurts now, but in a day or so it won't. You will move on with your life and in a few months you won't remember any of this pain." She wanted to cry at the thought that everything they went through could seem so forgettable to the outsider. But, then she realized that this person probably knows nothing of what is going on.

"You don't get it Mr. Schue. Rachel she is special. One of a kind." It took her a second to realize that he had been drinking. Maybe all of this pain was too much for him. He promised her that he wouldn't drink. She took relief in the fact that he wasn't driving like that. "You know the first song I learned to play, she taught it to me. You're going to love this one." He was laughing and she couldn't help, but smile when he started to play the long forgotten tune. "I want to tell you all a story about a Harper Valley widowed wife…" He struggled over the words, but it made her think about how simple things used to be. Only her Cowboy would have remembered that song. She played it with him once. She sang it at an open mic night her fathers drug her to. "…Well the note said Mrs. Johnson you're wearing your dresses way too high/ it's been reported you've been drinkin' and runnin' around with men and goin' wild/and we don't believe you ought to be bringin' up you're little girl that way…" She could help but to laugh as he sang that silly song. Maybe he still needed her more than she thought. She just walked towards the two men.

* * *

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when she walked into the room. That was until she smiled at him and rolled her eyes. "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA/Well, there is Bobby Taylor sitting there and seven times he has asked me for a date/ and Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice when he is away." She sang along with him until he stopped playing and started to get up to greet her.

"You're still here." He said as he looked at her afraid that if he would look away she would disappear.

"Yeah well you have the keys to my truck." She replied as she reached out to touch him and soon he realized that she was holding up him up. "But, once I get you home it will be okay. We will sober you up and then we will talk. Really talk this time." She told him as they walked towards the door.

"Mr. Schue you so awesome. You were right." He called out to the figure they were leaving behind on the stage.

**A/N: Hard chapter to write. I hope you like it. Let me know what you think. The song is Harper Valley PTA I used the Billy Ray Cyrus version when I was working on this. **


	5. Chapter 5

They say that which does no kill us makes us stronger. Well, if that was the case she could take down Goliath and about twelve of his buddies with the touch of my pinky finger. She could throw Superman right back to Krypton and while balancing Reptar on her left hip. However, as much as she would love to be able to take on the Hulk and live to talk about it, she finds it hard to deny that she is still human, still weak, and still checking her pulse every five minutes. Because what happened yesterday or the day before may not have killed her. But, there is nothing saying that the next thing to take her life and turn it upside down; the next thing that rocks the boat, the next living nightmare won't kill her or him or anyone dumb enough to think they have a handle of life. Because in the end we can be survivors for a while, but in life only one thing is one hundred and fifty percent, positively guaranteed and that is death.

So if death is guaranteed, if there is no way to possibly ever escape it, why the hell do we fight so damn hard? Why don't we all just lie down and perform our last rites as soon as something tough comes up? She hates to admit it but she finds herself questioning that a lot recently. It just does not make sense. Why did she fight so hard? Why does she still continue to fight? Then just when she is about to surrender into those thoughts, she remembers why. The reason why is laying right there in front of her. It's the same reason why she flipped him over on his side when she tucked him into that damn bed to sleep off the boos. She loves him. As stupid as she feels for feeling that way there is no denying it. She will always love him. She loved him before Quinn and she was going to love him after. She loved him before the accident, before the move, before it all and she will always love him. They say that first love is the hardest to break, but no matter how hard she tries she can't break it. Hell, the damn Hulk could throw Superman and Reptar on it and it wouldn't break.

But, she knew that it at least had to be mended. Everything got so damn distorted. They needed to mend their lives back into what they were supposed to be. They needed to get back to the fairy tale picture, but it was going to take time. Hell, there relationship looked more distorted than a freaking Picasso. Then again maybe that it why it is so hard to break. Maybe that is what makes it so valuable. After all Picasso's paintings aren't exactly cheap.

She knew they needed to talk, fight it out. That is the only way they can find out if this, if what's left is even worth fighting for anymore. But, for this moment in time he just needed to sleep and she couldn't stand just to sit in that room anymore. It was amazing that the house hadn't changed at all. She was staring at one of the pictures that hung above the dining room table. It was so simple. It was just Noah with his arm wrapped around her and his sister Hanna standing in front of them. They were standing in the Hudson's living room in front of a Christmas tree. They looked like a happy family there.

"Ray you back!" She was brought out of her thought by the sound of Hanna's squeal. Before she knew it the younger girl had her in a death grip of a hug. It was hard to believe that little Hanna was thirteen now and she looked every bit her age. "Please tell me that you are staying this time. I miss having a sister. Noah is an idiot. I'll trade him for you. He can go away to school and you can stay here." Hanna said as she held on to Rachel.

"It's not that simple. But, I am here right now. So, what have you been up to? I can make us lunch and we can catch up." Rachel said as she smiled at the closest thing she ever had to sibling.

"I have missed you so much. Noah just throws pizza rolls on a pan and calls it lunch."

* * *

The sun had gone down by the time he woke up. He looked all over for his phone to see what time it was, but he couldn't find it anywhere. He heard laughter coming from the living room, so he figured it couldn't be too late. The light in the hallway made his head hurt, he just wanted to climb back into bed. That was until he heard her. "You do realize that this movie is crap right?" She was talking with his sister. "You want a teenage love story watch Sixteen Candles that is a feel good movie. This vampire stuff is just weird." He stood in the doorway of the living room just watching them. They were sitting in front of the sofa wrapped up the blanket that normally rest on the back of the sofa, a bowl of popcorn in front of them. She looked so happy. He knew that she always had a special connection with Hanna, but he never once did he think about how hard it was on Hanna that she was gone. Or anyone else for that fact…he could only deal with his pain.

"I have watched that movie with you way too many times. Plus, look at him tell me he isn't hotter than anyone in that movie." Hanna replied as he walked into the room a little more. He saw Rachel look at him immediately.

"Han why don't you go order a pizza?" He asked her as he looked down at them. "Edward will still be here in a little bit."

"You just want to make me disappear." Hanna stated as she started to get up. "You better fix it this time or I am sending you to Iceland. I like her better." She just walked passed him. He just took her seat next to Rachel.

"I think you said something about talking." He stated as he looked at her.

* * *

She was avoiding going home. Every second she is around her parents, she risk them finding out what is going on. Plus, her parents would know for sure that something was up if she didn't spend her whole Saturday out with Finn. It's what they always did. But, just sitting there listen to Finn talk about video games as his mother came in the room every five seconds with boxes she was clearing out of the guest room wasn't helping anything. She needed someone to talk to. She needed something more than this. However, she had no one that she could go to. Maybe they should talk to Finn's mother. She obviously dealt with these issues before, but then again she would probably just call her parents. "Finn can you help me with something?" His mother asked as she peaked her head into the room. It didn't take a second before she was sitting alone in that living room just wanting to cry. Finn had the right ideal she needed someone, but things were too messed up for her to talk to anyone. She looked at the table only to see Finn's phone lighting up with a new message. She couldn't help it. She picked up the phone and read the message. It was from who she could only assume was Rachel even though the name read Rainbow. 'I got him home. Going to try talking things out once he sleeps it off. Tell Mama C to keep the sofa warm, its looks like I will be in town an extra night.' It broke her heart that Rachel was going to stick around and put Puck back together. In a way she wanted him to hurt. She was hurting. She wanted him to be focused on her not Rachel. She thought she was scrolling up to see what else Rachel had said, but she must have pushed the wrong button. She was looking at the message from Taylor Rose when the tears started. He was supposed to be the good one and here he was talking to that Glee whore. "I can't wait to see you tonight!" She read the message out loud before she threw the damn phone. She just needed out of there. How could he possibly think that was okay? How could he think that she wasn't going to find out?

* * *

"You promised me that you would never drink like that. You are damn lucky that I was there today to bring you home. You are damn lucky that teacher had the since to try to talk to you. Are you trying to end up like your father? We promised each other that we wouldn't let things get that bad. What would you have done if no one came there? Would you have driven? How could you live with the ideal of drinking and driving after the accident? You know that bastard who hit me is still in a coma? What if you would have hit someone? You could have killed someone, anyone, Hanna, me, even Quinn. Are you just not letting your brain function anymore?" She knew her words were harsh, but he needed harsh. She could try to avoid his problems. She could overlook the whores and the hair. But, there was one straw that he broke today she could not forgive so easily. She needed for him to see he was doing things that were wrong. He needed to want to make a change. He needed to fight and stop this childish crap. Hell, he had another child on the way. She saw the pain in his eyes as he just sat there for a moment. "Noah, I don't want this to be a one sided conversation. I don't want to yell at you. You have a mother for that. I just need to know what is going on in your mind." She said softly as she took his hands.

"You want to know what is going through my mind. Fine, let me tell you what is going through my mind. You left. You left me here in this damn town. You left me here where I sit alone at night in our room. You left me here walking passed an empty room. I worked so hard to do right by us. I know it was hard for you, but you just left. And if you aren't here for me to be strong for then why bother?" He said as he looked at the floor. "You're not the only one that hurts." He whispered as he looked at her.

"I know. Noah, what are we doing to do? How do we get back to us?" She knew that answer was much more completed than this conversation could result in. They needed some plan though. They could do something this time. That was if the damn doorbell didn't ring right then. He stopped him from getting up. "I will get it. You just keep thinking."

As soon as she got to the door she regretted doing that. However, there was something about the tears, the hopeless look, the innocence that Quinn had about her that reminded her of how she felt. "I didn't know where else to go to. I just need someone to talk to, who won't freak out and kill me or kick me out. I really need a friend and Finn said that you would understand." Quinn was sobbing by this point. She could handle this. She was Goliath strong after all.

"Okay, I can do this. Just let me get my keys." She said as she left the other girl on the porch.

"You don't have to do this. You don't have to be Wonder Woman." Puck muttered to her as she walked back into the room.

"Someone has to be." She replied as she leaned down and kissed is forehead. "I will be sleeping at Finn's tonight. Just think about what we were talking about some more." She said as she looked down at him. "We were in this together this time Cowboy." She whispered before leaving the room.


	6. Chapter 6

It was silent and awkward. But, what else could she expect showing up and asking for help. Hell, the person sitting next to her is sitting the person who should hate her the most. Yet, she took time out of her day to talk. But, sitting in that old beat up truck felt like death never the less. "Look this isn't going to be easy for any of us. It is going to take a lot of work for me not to hate your guts. And I am not doing this for you. Personally I think you are a crummy person right now, but I am doing this for Puck and Finn. And that poor child you are bring into this mess." Rachel said as she parked the truck in front of an old ran down building on the other side of town.

"That's understandable." Quinn mumbled as she let Rachel's words hit her. She was the bad person here. As much as she would like to argue she wasn't … there was no possible way too.

"Come on let's go inside. Don't worry no one from McKinley hangs out in this place." Rachel said as she opened her door and got out. For the first time she paid attention the building. The sign was broken flashing ENNY' OOL HLL. The door was painted bright red almost as if the owner thought no one could find it if it wasn't.

"What is this place?" Quinn asked as she looked up at the sign and then over at the other girl who looked at this place like it was heaven.

"This is Benny's. Finn's mom worked here for a while when he was younger. He used to bring us here a lot. He and Carol got me my first job here." Rachel replied as she pulled the other girl to the door. "Have you ever thought about becoming a waitress?"

* * *

He shouldn't have called her. He shouldn't have asked this from her. But, the auditorium. That girl he just couldn't help, but think that this … that she could be the answer to all the glee club's trouble. He was surprised that she showed up at the pool hall. She was probably having a panic attack that this place was dirty. But, when she came in and sat right down without wiping off the seat he was sure he might have entered into something bigger than he realized. "Are you sure the girl's name is Rachel?" Emma asked right away as she looked at him.

"Yes, why? He did say something to you about her, didn't he?" He asked as he looked at woman.

"I still think that you should stay out of this." She said as she pulled out a folder from her bag. She pulled out a newspaper clipping and placed it in from him. It was of this Rachel in a football uniform. "Is this the girl?" She asked as she looked at him.

"Yes. That is must definitely the girl, where did you get this from?" He asked her.

"Jennifer, one of the counselors from Carmel sent it over to me with Puck's transcripts. Along with some of these other ones. Before I show you this I am asking you to stay out of this." She said as she placed the folder in front of him. There were newspaper clippings from both the local paper and the Carmel high paper. The first headline caught him was a gossip article from the high school newspaper 'FALLEN ANGEL: Great hope of the football team booted from team due to a bun in the oven'. Then there was another articles about an accident. One of the student reporters from Carmel took pictures of her laying in the middle of a year, and then again he being loaded into an ambulance. All the blood and bruises published in the high school newspaper. No wonder Puck was such a mess. Then the worst one an obituary for a three day old baby and the name brought tears to his eyes Noah David Puckerman the Second. He was expecting a bad break up not this. But, more than that he sure was not expecting for that same girl to come walking into the pool hall dragging Quinn along with her.

"Oh boy." He whispered as he looked at the two young girls then at the woman sitting with him.

* * *

For the first time she really felt like she was back home when she looked around the pool hall. She did a lot of growing up in this place. Nothing about this place had changed expect the company that was sitting beside her. Sitting at the same corner table that her and Puck made theirs. Right next to the stage that she used to play on. "So, What's the plan?" She asked as she looked at the girl sitting there with her.

"I don't know. I don't know how I am going to tell my parent's they are going to kill me. I am supposed to their perfect little virgin daughter saving herself for marriage and now I have this bastard child growing inside of me." Tears were pouring down Quinn's face by the time she got to the end of her sentence.

"No, there is your first mistake. You cannot refer to that child as a bastard. That child is an unexpected surprise, but you cannot call it negative names." Rachel spat as she looked at Quinn. She couldn't help but think about her fathers. To this day they still refer to her precious little boy as a bastard mistake. "I don't know you well enough to say something. But, I know Finn and I know Puck … and that baby will be so loved. Even if Noah is on the sidelines with 'Fun Aunt Rachel' as Finn has already dubbed me he will always love them with his whole heart." She stopped the tears as they fell from her eyes.

"Aunt Rachel?" Quinn asked as she looked at the girl sitting across the table and flashed a half smile.

"Yeah, I think in time I can get used to it." She replied softly as she tried not to think too much about what was going on here.

* * *

He knew that she was his superhero. She was wonder woman. And he couldn't handle it if she left again. Having her here … sure it wasn't perfect timing … but he is a better person with her here he knows that. He knows that he needs her. "You better be sitting in here thinking of ways to get Rachel to stay?" His sister's voice brought him out of his daze.

"Hanna now is not the time." He replied as he looked at her. She just rolled her eyes.

"I am not a baby anymore. I know what happened before. I know that something else is going on that involves the cheerleader who showed up earlier. But, that doesn't change the fact that we need to keep our Rach here." She replied as she sat down on the sofa next to her. "You need to do something big. Make a statement she cannot ignore. You know as while as I do that she is more than likely at the pool hall. Give her a reason to stick around this time Noah."

"When did you become so grown up?" He asked as he looked at her and smiled just slightly. He always thought she was too young to understand anything that was going on. It looks like he just couldn't accept the fact that she was growing up.

"When you were out being an idiot. Rachel is your good side… that's why we need her to stay, so what are we going to do?" She asked him as she turned the television off and looked at him. Everyone one else needed that girl back just as much as he did. Rachel was the glue that made a family.

"Well, what do you have in mind?"

* * *

He knew that Quinn didn't understand. He needed Taylor to go back to glee, he needed that scholarship, because he needed to make something of himself for their child. Sure, this wasn't the best way to get that done. Sure, he was just leading on this girl. Sure, he was hurting Quinn by flirting with another girl. But, he just needed to get this done before the invitational. "I never knew that bowling could be so much fun." Taylor said as she looked up at him. He was trying to act cool and not let the fact that her flirty face looks like she is a creepy clown.

"Yeah, I have missed you in glee club." He said as his phone went off. He looked at the message hoping it would be from Quinn. Instead it was from Hanna. 'Want to see Rach and Noah get back together come to the pool hall' he read the message and almost immediately stood up. He waited so long for this to happen. Their break up was more than a break up of a couple. The family they all somehow build started to fall apart with it.

"Where are you going?" Taylor asked as she looked up at him.

"Have you ever played pool before?" He asked as he looked at her and smiled.

* * *

_It took eight months, but he had finally done it. He had saved up enough money to get her the ring that she deserved so much. It took three buses and walked five blocks to get to that little jewelry store. Finn's mother dropped him off the first time he went there. When he picked out the ring, but he had to go back and get it a few days later due to the engraving that he had put in it. He was three hours late getting home, but he didn't care. Once he gave her the ring she would understand. Sure it wasn't much. Just a little gold band with a tiny little stone and a lyric to their song engraved on the inside, but it was enough for them. _

_But, she wasn't home when he walked in the door. Instead he was met by Finn and Mrs. Hudson. And that bag with that ring dropped to the floor when Mrs. Hudson said simply "There's been an accident. Rachel is in the hospital. Your mother is with her now." _

He just sat in the car looking at the ring he never gave to her. After the accident there just wasn't a right time. But, Hanna was right he needed to do something big and give her a reason to stay. This should do that. "What are you waiting for?" Hanna asked him as she opened up his door.

"It's not the right time." He said as she stood there holding the door open.

"There will never be right time, but she will always be the right girl. If you let her go again, she will move on. Then it will be another guy's time." Hanna said as she looked at him. "Now go get our girl." Her words finally drove him out of the car.


End file.
